MT Anderson

“Around the orchard and gardens
stood a wall of some height,
designed to repel the glance of
idle curiosity and keep us all from
slipping away and running for
freedom; though that of course, I
did not yet understand.”
Octavian Nothing, Vol. I

Me and MT Anderson at the 2010 ALA National Conference in Washington DC

http://mt-anderson.com/

It has taken me a while to get around to writing this post, primarily because I wanted to finish reading volume II of Octavian Nothing prior to writing it. I am a huge MT Anderson fan and have been planning on writing a dedicated post to his work for some time now. After my trip to ALA, it was a definite; I got to have my rock star moment in which I literally turned around at an exhibit booth and there he was right next to me! I had a 30 second moment where I thought to myself, “Do I act like a complete idiot and go up and talk to him or just pretend like I’m not totally blown away by standing next to one of my favorite authors?” Of course I walked up and talked to him! MT was absolutely gracious and every bit as open and intelligent as he comes across in the interviews I have read. I was so impressed by our 10-minute conversation and look forward to having him come speak at whatever library I end up in as a full-time teacher. He is truly a class act!

For those of you who have no idea who MT Anderson is, you are in for a treat when you pick up his books. He has written a huge number of books for both children and young adults. I love the range and diversity of his writing. He doesn’t stick to one topic or even one style, although it’s all thoughtful, intelligent, and well written. He has written about teens using a satiric teen voice in Thirsty and Burger Wuss, created a fabulous dystopia with Feed, and shown a perspective of history not generally known with the amazing historical fiction of the Octavian Nothing volumes. More recently he has written books for middle school children with the Jasper Dash adventure series. MT lives in Boston and did his undergraduate studies at Harvard and Cambridge and an MFA at Syracuse. Both volumes of Octavian Nothing won Printz Awards and the first volume won a National Book Award. Feed was a National Book Award Finalist. With awards like these to his credit, he deserves to be called a rock star.

One award that MT did not receive that I believe he should have at least received a nomination, but he was not eligible for, is currently a point of discussion among librarians. The Coretta Scott King Award is awarded only to African American authors and yet I believe that both Octavian Nothing novels fully represent the ideals of Dr. King through

their interpretation of African American history. These two books are books that should be in every high school library and ultimately should be part of our curriculum. They are not easy reading. The vocabulary is challenging. They are both such wonderfully written books and I believe that the Coretta Scott King Award would have brought a different recognition in raising them as a respected piece of literature for use in the classroom to teach about our history as Americans — all Americans. I believe that ultimately that is what Dr. King — and Octavian — are both trying to say and do. They are trying to fight for equality of all humanity.

MT does not end his second volume with the words of Octavian, but ends in the present day with an author’s note. I really like this addition. I like it because he makes a point that the story cannot end in the same way as a true fantasy because we know that history did not turn that way. Slavery persisted in our country for many generations after the tale ended. He leaves several poignant quotes to walk away and think about, the most important perhaps being this;

“Yes, our Revolutionary forefathers espoused a vexed and even contradictory view of liberty. But it is easy to condemn the dead for their mistakes. Hindsight is cheap, and the dead can’t argue. It is harder to examine our own actions and to ask what abuses we commit, what conspicuous cruelties we allow to afford our luxuries, which of our deeds will be condemned by our children’s children when they look back upon us. We, too, have our hypocrisies, our systems of shame.”

I hope you will pick up one of MT’s books. All of them are great and will give you food for thought. He is a must for any YA collection in the library — public, private, or school. And the newer adventure series are loads of fun – besides he one of them involves Jasper Dash and the Flame Pits of Delaware. Any reference to Delaware gets extra bonus points from this librarian! Happy reading!

I originally picked up a copy of Feed and gave it to Madeline (my stepdaughter) for Christmas. I laughed when I first saw the cover due to the uncanny resemblance to my brother Eric...shortly thereafter he had this photo posted from his 1st and only modeling gig. Like I said, uncanny!



“I think the truffle
is completely
undervalued.”
Feed

“The sarcasm of my
daughter notwithstanding,
it is nonetheless an
occasion of great moment
to meet one of her erotic
attachments.” Feed

“She gestures toward the
two casseroles. ‘Would
you like some of Jennifer
or Dave?’” Thirsty

Zombies Vs. Unicorns

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv7V1u0FBXo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avhOcKHWb-Y&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA6qyE2uK-A&feature=channel

http://www.blackholly.com/zombiesvsunicorns.html Holly Black

http://justinelarbalestier.com/ JustineLarbalestier

This past October at Chester County Books & Music as you may have read in an earlier post, I finally met the incredible Scott Westerfeld. I had the opportunity to chat with him for a bit after his talk as he was signing my stack of books. I was telling him how much I loved the amazing number of quality YA authors out there today and how funny it is that so many of them seem to be friends with each other; it’s almost like a YA author club. He laughed and said that he too was part of “the club.” He continued with a story about a debate he had just finished a few days before to promote a book several of the authors had written called Zombies Vs. Unicorns. The title alone was enough for me to buy a copy and Scott signed the short story he had written for team Zombie.

The book is a collection of short stories compiled and edited by authors Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier. I love Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier as well as Zombie and Unicorn stories, so I figured the whole book was going to be a good read for me – and it was! Justine Larbalestier is Australian and married to Scott Westerfeld. She lives half the year in New York and half the year in Sydney. She has been writing about science fiction for quite a while, but only recently been published in this country as a YA author. She is best known for her novels Liar, How To Ditch Your Fairy, and the Magic or Madness trilogy. Holly Black is a well know American YA author who lives in Massachusetts. Her first book Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale was published in 2002. She reached superstar status with her series The Spiderwick Chronicles. She also wrote successful sequels to Tithe: Ironside and Valiant. She also has numerous other winning titles published, including her recent highly entertaining Curse Workers series.

SOOOOOOOO....... ZOMBIES? OR UNICORNS?

The banter of Justine and Holly in the editorials prefacing the collection as well as each story is hilarious in Zombies Vs. Unicorns. I could just imagine hanging out at Starbucks with these two and watching them going back and forth as to the merits of zombies and unicorns. At the end of all of the stories, I have to say that I really enjoyed the entire book. It was just plain fun. As to the whole argument of zombies vs. unicorns? Well Justine, I’m afraid I have to come out on Holly’s side. I mean, let’s face it, zombies are just not really all that pleasant. And they’re stupid to boot. I’d much rather be around a powerful pretty killer horse that farts rainbows and flowers. If it’s a question of what is going to survive, then it doesn’t really seem all that difficult to trick zombies into killing themselves off. Again, they’re stupid. Admittedly, unicorns do seem to be in short supply, but legend does give them superpowers. Zombies don’t have superpowers; they just have the whole life after death and ability to live without eating (other than human flesh) thing worked out. Then again, we could always call it a draw and go for the zombie unicorn!

Move Over George Orwell, There’s a New Dystopia in Town!

Me & Robin Wasserman at PSLA


























Ship Breaker By Paolo Bacigalupi is the 2011 Printz Award Winner and was a contender for the National Book Award.











One of the best genres of literature being written today for YA is the dystopia. I have always loved pondering the future and what our current actions might have upon it and had always hoped there might be more than the old classics to offer a meaty read. Scott Westerfeld hooked me with the Uglies series and I have sought the wide range and variety of dystopias to be found in the YA genre ever since. The amazing, imaginative possibilities that authors are exploring is not only thought-provoking reading, but fun. It holds adventure and mystery and most of it is incredibly well written. So move over Orwell and Huxley, make room on the shelf for some modern competitors!

Unwind
By Neal Shusterman
http://www.storyman.com/books/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmM9_P3eLjc



Neal Shusterman has written numerous fabulous books for young adults including Everlost, Full Tilt, and The Shadow Club. In Unwind, Shusterman creates a future society in which abortion is no longer practiced but a proportion of its children face a future of being “unwound” before they reach their 18th birthday. The unwinding process is a “painless” process where their bodies are doled out as parts for transplantation. The theory is that through unwinding they are not dying, but living in other bodies. There are a variety of categories for becoming a potential candidate for being unwound. Shusterman’s well-crafted tale focuses on three teens from divergent backgrounds all on the path to unwinding. Fate throws them together and they find themselves confronting the premises of society as they run for their lives.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox
By Mary Pearson
http://www.marypearson.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnk1zPw_PHc

The Adoration of Jenna Fox challenges one of the biggest questions many of us grapple with when it comes to technology and interfering with life – what is it that makes us innately human? Is it a body? A soul? A brain? Jenna Fox is in a terrible car crash. Her father’s company has the biotechnology to “save” her. They cannot save her body. They can only save a small part of her brain. The rest of her is regenerated with biotechnology and computers. This is a clever novel with surprising points raised on both sides of the issue for Jenna and for the reader.

Skinned
By Robin Wasserman
http://www.robinwasserman.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW4TwsgUD80

Crashed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WNgx-mqFoo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7p3pzjAqhA
Wired

Robin Wasserman’s trilogy also looks at the idea of bringing back a daughter after a supposed fatal car crash. Robin’s books are far more detailed and actually include some historical research on early robotics. She explores what it is like for a machine trying to be a human and a human trying what the role of emotion plays in making us human. The rich detail in character development, storyline, and detailed description of technology keep the reader enthralled with these books. The biggest thing I like about this innovative trilogy is its an overall fascinating exploration into the potential development of artificial intelligence which provides a great basis for discussion of the topic – plus it’s a fun read!


Chaos Walking Series
The Knife of Never Letting Go
By Patrick Ness
http://www.patrickness.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7GWtiQACRo

The Ask and The Answer
Monters of Men, Sept. 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cYFUHP10CI&feature=related

British author Patrick Ness has created a future where information is everywhere. Everyone can hear men’s thoughts – there are no secrets. The society that evolves as a result is fascinating as Ness delves into issues of human nature, control, and groupthink. The trilogy starts by introducing the two main characters, Todd and Viola. The middle book sets up two major sides of contention as the story unfolds further and tensions within society build. The final book continues to build the storyline with unexpected twists that lead to a fascinating conclusion. This is a series that will have readers clamoring for more books from Ness in the future. It is full of rich characters and riveting dilemmas about human nature – all the elements of a well-written dystopia in the form of a trilogy. While you can read just one of the books, I highly recommend starting with the first (The Knife of Never Letting Go) and working through all three. It is well worth the effort!


The Forest of Hands and Teeth
By Carrie Ryan
http://www.carrieryan.com/

http://streaming.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=175491

http://media.barnesandnoble.com/

Dawn of the Dead fans will absolutely love this futuristic trilogy! The Forest of Hands and Teeth brings us a future world where a virus has created zombies out of the vast majority of society and it is no longer safe for those unaffected to be near the Unconsecrated, for once bitten, they too will die and become among the living dead. The story takes place seven generations after the original incident, called the Return, in a village walled off by fences to keep the Unconsecrated out. Mary is a teenage girl ready to be betrothed in the upcoming festival. Filled with ideals and romance, her world is shattered while she watches in horror as her mother chooses to join Mary’s zombie father in the Forest by being purposely bitten by the Unconsecrated, rapidly changing over into an Unconsecrated. Mary is sent in shame to join the Sisterhood, the controlling party in the village. As the tale continues to unravel, adventure and mystery are at every turn. While this story keeps you at the edge of your seat, there is plenty left to keep you yearning for the sequel, The Dead-Tossed Waves, released in March 2010 and the upcoming third in the trilogy, The Dark and Hollow Places. And who doesn’t like a good zombie tale?

Naughts & Crosses
By Malorie Blackman
http://www.malorieblackman.co.uk/

http://www.play.com/HOME/HOME/6-/Campaign.html?campaign=4841&cid=9345018

Malorie Blackman’s series is absolutely wonderful. It has had limited exposure in the US and I’m not sure why. It may be because she is a British author and her publisher just hasn’t hooked up with the right American publisher for distribution and marketing. I found Naughts & Crosses and Knife Edge through Junior Library Guild (http://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/). I’ve had fantastic luck with finding high quality books through JLG and can’t understand why more school librarians don’t take advantage of their service. In this dystopia, Malorie Blackman has successfully turned the issue of race right on its end. Black is white and white is black, and before you know it, you are uncertain who is who. She hits racism head on with her characters and uses symbolism deftly. Persephone and Callum are star-crossed lovers in a segregated society. Persephone is a Cross; she is a wealthy dark-skinned and beautiful daughter of the Prime Minister. Callum is a Naught; he is a pale-skinned son of a servant who once served Sephy’s family. As the story unfolds, plot lines of terrorism, racial hostility, and desegregation efforts unravel all intertwined with the incredible love story of Sephy and Callum.


Knife Edge The follow-up to Naughts and Crosses, Sephy is pregnant with Callum’s baby. The suspense builds as Jude follows her seeking his vengeance. This story continues the tension of racial struggle and moral conflict over terrorism begun in the first book and is no less enthralling. It’s a page-turner right up until the very end! The third book in the series is called Checkmate and is available on Kindle and as an import. It tells the story of Rose as a teen. The fourth and final book, Double Cross, is about a minor character named Tobey from Checkmate and Callie Rose.



The Hunger Games
By Suzanne Collins
http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2szX6ClpNrA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ9Dq0BHktA&feature=related

Catching Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCcZHKOAuEo&feature=related
Mockingjay
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8LOwmxzyu8&feature=related

Suzanne Collins Hunger Games trilogy is one of the finest trilogies I’ve read in years. I’m surprised that she was passed over for all of the major book awards, although she has gained multiple Readers’ Choice Awards in local newspapers across the country in addition to the current Hunger Games film project that is being directed by Gary Ross (and certain to be a blockbuster at the theaters) and Mockingjay winning multiple 2010 Goodreads Choice Awards (http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice#winners). So while Collins may not have received that major book award, there aren’t many who don’t regard her or her work as creative genius.

The first novel, The Hunger Games, introduces a future world devastated by war and divided into districts that supply the wealthy Capitol. 16-year-old Katniss Evergreen lives in the poor district of Panem, what was once the United States. Each year, the districts must supply one female and one male to participate in the annual Hunger Games, an event televised for all of the districts by the Capitol. The participants are placed in a game of survivor; it is a true battle to survive where the final one left living is given all the riches. When Katniss’s young sister is chosen, she bravely walks forward in her place, thus unfolding the tale of the Hunger Games. The first book leads naturally to Catching Fire, and likewise to the concluding book Mockingjay. This is a trilogy that will stick with readers and keep them talking long after the final page is turned and is likely to become an enduring classic on the library shelf.

The Maze Runner
By James Dashner
http://jamesdashner.blogspot.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os6pZvKbxqI&feature=related\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHW0L5BctK4&NR=1

James Dashner’s The Maze Runner is yet another creative and completely different dystopia. For those who really like reading science fiction, this should be a fun read. I love one of the comments Dashner makes in the interview on YouTube via the above link about his love of the book Lord of the Flies and its influence on the book; that was exactly what I was thinking as I was reading it! I kept having this odd feeling like I was dropped in the middle of a world where Lord of the Flies falls into a mad maze with evil aliens…

The story begins with Thomas dropping into a compound from an elevator with no recollection of his past or where he is or where he is from. He finds himself in an odd encampment surrounded by a maze. At night the walls move to enclose them in and protect them from the Grievers lurking beyond the walls. The camp is filled only with boys and during the day some of them run through the maze searching for a way out. Others run the camp with various jobs. From the very beginning somehow Thomas knows he is destined to be a runner, but what danger lies in store for him? This is a cleverly crafted story with surprises at every turn and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy, The Scorch Trials. I’m sure it will be equally unpredictable!

Matched
By Ally Condie
http://www.allysoncondie.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaeNWL8rlBI

I received an autographed advanced copy of Matched at this summer’s ALA conference. The very first thing that got me excited was the incredibly beautiful cover. I know it’s silly, but I love amazing covers on books. I even bought the British edition of Markus Zuzak’s The Book Thief specifically for the cover. The other thing I was excited about, of course, was getting a signed preview copy of a new dystopia – for free! Yay me!

The future world of Matched is a scary one indeed. If you can imagine a world where everything becomes simplified. All jobs become determined by “ability” as your testing and genetics show you capable of achieving. All clothing becomes mundane and utilitarian, doled out by society so as not to compete with one another. All gardens and lawns, homes and food are regulated so that everyone receives the same equal portions. Even marriage is arranged according to genetic compatibility so that partners are matched to perfection. When Cassia is matched with her best friend Xander only to come home and find another friend Ky flash up on her screen, she finds herself challenging the society she lives in. Condie has created a compelling dystopia and I am looking forward to the next two books in the trilogy. There is certainly much more to work out in this story and it will be exciting to see how it unfolds!

Birthmarked
By Caragh O’Brien
http://www.caraghobrien.com/book/birthmarked/

Something about the new dystopia lately just begs of multiple volumes. Perhaps the stories are just becoming more complex and detailed, too long for single, short volumes like Orwell's 1984 or Huxley's Brave New World. Birthmarked is the beginning of a trilogy written by new YA author Caragh O’Brien. I first learned about this book via JLG: my same source for Ship Breaker, The Hunger Games, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and The Knife of Never Letting Go – all fabulous books featured in my dystopia blog. That’s exactly why I love the Junior Library Guild -- they never fail to lead me to excellent books for the school library and often long before they've hit other reviews!

I can hardly believe that Birthmarked is a first book for Caragh O’Brien. We are in for some amazing stories from her in the future if this is what she is producing as a first-time writer! Birthmarked is the tale of a future society where the land has become barren and resources have become extremely scarce. A small portion of society has walled up in a contained and self-sustained city full of resources. Poor villages strive to survive outside the walls and ultimately come to an agreement with the walled city to aid in transfer of babies to adoptive parents inside the walls. Gaia, a 16-year-old midwife struggles with moral and ethical dilemmas as she learns more about how her society operates and her own connection to the past. This is a thrilling novel from the very first page to the very last. I had trouble putting it down – I loved the characters and the plot. I am anxious to read the next one in the trilogy!

And finally, this year’s newly announced 2011 Printz Award winner…

Ship Breaker
By Paolo Bacigalupi
http://windupstories.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQp__BDHH6s

http://www.bookpage.com/books-10013207-Ship+Breaker

I first heard about Ship Breaker at a JLG talk during PSLA last spring. Then when I went to ALA, it was a hot book being looked at with copies being given out on one of the days. I wasn’t able to get a copy at ALA, but did get a copy through JLG. I had already decided to read it after hearing about it the first time at the JLG workshop in the spring prior to its release – dystopias always pique my interest after all! It took me a while to get around to reading it with grad school and my humongous reading list, but once I finally got to it, Ship Breaker did not disappoint me.

Paolo Bacigalupi is a beautiful writer. He develops characters fully, creates emotion, and builds a visionary plot that is so descriptive you feel like you are there. The story is set in a future where resources are scarce, fuel is almost non-existent, and poverty is extreme. Nailer is a young teen who works as a scavenger on a light crew crawling into grounded oil tankers looking for scrap copper wiring. He needs to reach a daily quota in order to survive and fights regular battles with a drunken and drug-addicted abusive father. The agony that Nailer goes through in his relationship with his father is timeless and one that some teens may even identify with, although pray the number is small. One day, Nailer discovers a grounded clipper ship along with his closest friend and must make an ethical choice: save its survivor or strip the ship of its wealth. This is a rich story set in an imagined future that is complex with issues for pondering. The Printz Award is well deserved for Bacigalupi and I am looking forward to hearing him speak at ALA this summer. I’ll post a new review of the book afterward with a photo of us next summer!

As you can see just from the few I've been able to get through in the past few months, the selection of new dystopias available is impressive. There are more out there to conquer and I expect I will be adding them to my blog as I continue to plow through my reading pile. I do still have a rather impressive pile of 17-20 books left to write up reviews for that I've already read...and an endless shelf left to read. But, dear readers, charge forth and pick up a dystopia -- or two or three! They will be a pleasure to read and challenge you to think about possibilities for how we act now and how it might impact future generations.

Meeting the 2010 Newberry & Caldecott Winners

2010 Newberry Award

When You Reach Me

By Rebecca Stead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmnfO7QDPr0&feature=related

http://www.rebeccasteadbooks.com/

2010 Caldecott Award

The Lion & The Mouse

By Jerry Pinckney

http://www.jerrypinkneystudio.com/frameset.html

I was so excited to go to the 2010 Newberry/Caldecott Award dinner at ALA this past summer. The recipients of the 2010 awards were nothing short of outstanding. Not to say that past recipients weren’t outstanding. It was incredible meeting these two wonderful, talented, humble, warm, and creative author/artists, each with their individual and fascinating tales to tell of how they approach their craft. I knew when I first picked up Rebecca Stead’s book When You Reach Me that it was really, REALLY special. And when I read it, I knew it was an award winner. The same was true of Jerry Pinckney’s book. When you can pick up a children’s picture book and the art literally speaks to you from the page, you know that it stands out from the crowd. That’s why books like Brian Selznick’s Hugo Cabaret won the award and so many books by David Wiesner.

When You Reach Me is a journey through self-discovery. It’s laden with mystery and puzzles. It’s filled with the everyday challenges of life that normal young people face and yet Rebecca Stead brings it to us in a story that is written in such a lyrical poetic way with fabulous characters, intrigue and suspense. It is a “smart girl” book. One to challenge, sink your teeth into and have fun with curled up in a cozy chair. I am torn between using this book and Going Bovine for the next Book Cart Drill Team theme…If I can convince enough willing PA librarians to join me in New Orleans for the competition!

The Lion & The Mouse is literally a work of unbelievable art. I was able to hear Jerry speak multiple times over the conference about the book and his art. The book was created from studies of actual lions and African animals of the savannah. That is how he was able to create such lifelike illustrations. The front cover has a lion and the back has a Mouse and the title is on the spine. You don’t realize that you are able to articulate the title purely from pictures. We are so familiar with the old fable that it’s possible to “tell” the story without” words. In fact, the book has very few. Jerry grew up living with dyslexia. Today we have better supports in our school systems, but that wasn’t true even 20 years ago let alone in Jerry’s day. He was labeled early on and struggled to read. He did well despite the disability but still struggles to read and write even today. He went to art school in Philadelphia and found his true calling – illustration. On his website, he talks about learning disabilities and I loved this quote of encouragement;

"For the young person who is struggling in school, never forget there are many different ways to learn. Be curious. Do not be afraid to try. Do not be disappointed when making mistakes. You will discover your own unique way of understanding the things being taught. Learn from mistakes. Everything that happens to you will frame who you are, and who you will become. Your path to success will follow."

As a teacher librarian, I truly feel that it is my role to reach out to all students and help them find their path to success. My hope for all children is that they are able to find the skills and love of learning while in our school system so that when they are out there on their own they are able to find the right information, the right resources, the right people, to pursue their dreams and passions and lead happy fulfilled lives.

So who’s it gonna be in 2011…? Wiesner is definitely a strong contender with Art & Max for another Caldecott. And the Newberry? Hmmmmmm…gotta sleep on that one…